Making blades for pencil-sharpeners



rn ser WALTER K. FOSTER, OF BANGOR, MAINE.

MAKING- BLADES FOR PENCIL-SHARPENERS.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that I, WALTER K. Fos'rnn, of Bangor, in the county of Penobscot and State of Maine, have invented an Improvement in the Manufacture of Blades for Pencil-Sharpeners or other Articles of Like Nature; and I do hereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in the following specilication and the accompanying drawings.

In making small blades for pencil sharpeners, it has been found very difficult to hold and support the blanks during the operation of grinding or reducing them to a wedge form, or one to enable them to operate as cutters. A side view of one of these cutters or knives is represented in Figure 1, and an end view in Fig. 2, such ligures eX- hibit-ing the same in the full size in which it is usually manufactured.

My new method, contrivance or blank holder for supporting the blade blanks, gaging them, and aiding in reducing them to a wedge shape is denoted in Figs. 3 and i, the former of said ligures being a top view of it, while the latter' is a longitudinal section of it, such contrivance, when in use being employed in connection with a grinding wheel.

Fig. 5, denotes a longitudinal section of the blank holder charged with a series of knife blanks, each of which is rectangular in its transverse section. In constructing the said holder, I take a plate of metal A, and forln in its upper surface one or more series of recesses, a, a, a, those of each series being arranged parallel to each other or in such other manner as circumstances may require. Each recess a, is constructed triangular in cross section and arranged with respect to the top surface of the plate as shown in Figs. 4, and 5. It is intended to receive a knife blank, which on being laid therein by resting againstthe two sides of the recess will take an inclined position with respect to the top surface of the bed or holder. This holder' so made, is to be used under a grinding stone or grinder, which should be made to revolve in such a direction while it is operating against a knife blank, that such knife blank shall be forced by the friction of the grinder against the vertical side of the knife recess, such Vertical or shorter side serving as a stop to prevent the knife blank from being thrown out of the recess by the grinding wheel.

From the above it will be seen that while the vertical or shorter side of the recess operates as a stop to maintain the blank within the recess under the abrading action of the grinding wheel, the longer or inclined side of the recess operates as a gage to so hold the blank and direct it properly while it is under the operation of the grinder that the said blank may be reduced to a wedge form or have a triangular shape in transverse section.

By the usual mode of holding a knife blank, while it is being ground, viz. by means of nippers or gripper-s applied to its two ends, the reduction of the knife blank becomes a process requiring so much attention and care that a` skilful operator can only make or grind about one hundred of the blanks per day. By my improved method of supporting and grinding the blanks, an operative (as has been demonstrated by practice) in one day can reduce or convert into cutters or knives from ten to fifteen thousand of such blanks, the blank holder being charged with blanks by children or operatives, who after a little practice, can accomplish the same with great expertness and facility. After a blank has been reduced on one side it may be turned over and that side placed downward within the recess so as to bring the other side of the blank uppermost. Under these circun'lstances, the latter side may be faced or reduced by the grinding wheel.

h/Iy improvement effects a wonderful reduction in the cost of making small blades or knives as will readily be perceived by cutlers or others skilled in the artof making pencil sharpeners.

lVhat I claim for supporting small pieces of metal and aiding in their reduction to wedges or knive blades under the action of a grinder or grinding wheel is- A gage bed plate or holder constructed with recesses made so as to operate substantially described such bed being moved along' under the grinder or the grinder moved over it in such nianner as to successively reduce each of the blanks that may be within its recess.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my signature this fourteenth day of November A. D. 1857.

W. K. FOSTER.

IVitnesses:

T. W. PORTER, A. K. P. TRASK. 

